Ukrainian Woman Describes Russian Filtration Camp and Transfer Deeper Into Russia

Jake Epstein / Business Insider
Ukrainian Woman Describes Russian Filtration Camp and Transfer Deeper Into Russia Residents of Mariupol, Ukraine, at a temporary shelter in the Rostov region of Russia on March 23. (photo: Sergey Pivovarov/Reuters)

A Ukrainian woman gave a harrowing account of what is happening at Russian a "filtration camp" for people relocated from eastern Ukraine.

The unnamed woman told The Washington Post that, along with her family, she was taken from the besieged Ukrainian city of Mariupol to what Russian forces described as a "filtration camp" along Russia's border.

She told the Post that she was then photographed and fingerprinted before being told to hand over her phone so the Russians could download her data and record all of her contacts.

The woman told the Post that she faced multiple rounds of interrogations, including by the Russian security service FSB, before being brought to the Russian port city of Taganrog.

She told the Post that she eventually broke away from the group by claiming to Russian soldiers that she had a friend nearby in Russia who could house her and her family.

The Kremlin said on Monday that reports of Ukrainians being forcibly relocated are "lies," according to the Post.

But Ukrainian officials have accused Russia of forcing thousands of citizens from Mariupol — a heavily bombarded southern port city in Ukraine — to remote cities in Russia.

Mariupol City Council previously said Ukrainians had phones and documents checked, and were forced into camps by Russian soldiers.

The US Embassy in Kyiv also accused Russia of kidnapping thousands of Ukrainian children from the eastern Donbas region.

Mariupol has been a focal point of the humanitarian aspect of Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine.

The city has been constantly shelled by Russian President Vladimir Putin's forces, and proposed humanitarian convoys and corridors have been difficult to construct.

EXPLORE THE DISQUS SETTINGS: Up at the top right of the comments section your name appears in red with a black down arrow that opens to a menu. Explore the options especially under Your Profile and Edit Settings. On the Edit Settings page note the selections on the left side that allow you to control email and other notifications. Under Profile you can select a picture or other graphic for your account, whatever you like. COMMENT MODERATION: RSN is not blocking your comments, but Disqus might be. If you have problems use our CONTACT PAGE and let us know. You can also Flag comments that are seriously problematic.
Close

rsn / send to friend

form code